Consumers check out electronics goods at a shop in Patna on Dhanteras. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, Oct. 24: Residents of the state capital today celebrated Dhanteras by buying new articles for their homes and loved ones. While gold and silver jewellery and kitchen utensils topped the list of purchases, home appliances and business equipment were not far behind either.

Surbhi Singh, who bought a refrigerator today, said: “We always purchase something or the other on Dhanteras every year. We decide on the amount we will spend beforehand.”

Dhanteras is celebrated two days ahead of Diwali. According to tradition, it is auspicious to purchase precious metals and make investments on this day.

So, while customers made a beeline for the shops and outlets to make the customary purchase, traders welcomed them with incentives and attractive offers.

Shopkeepers and traders were also on their toes today to satiate the demands of their customers.

Dheeraj Kumar, the manager of Urvarshi, a outlet in Kankerbagh selling home appliances, said: “It’s a very important day for us. The shop is crowded with customers and we must attend to each and every one of them.”

He added that on Dhanteras, the revenue raked in could increase manifold. “We make a huge profit on this one day. Sales go up by 50 to 60 per cent.”

Explaining how it could get stressful to satisfy all customers at times, Dheeraj said: “Many customers demand that we deliver the product on this day. However, we do not have enough labourers. ”

Manoj Kumar, a deliveryman, also said that Dhanteras could be taxing. “I have six to seven televisions, refrigerators and washing machines to deliver today to different parts of the city,” he said.

Not everyone was happy with the hurly-burly of the maddening crowds though. Manoj Kumar, who had come to buy a washing machine at an outlet on SP Verma Road, could not find any space to park his car.

“You see the crowd on the road? It is very difficult to drive and there is no space to park. The frequent traffic snarls also make life difficult for us,” said Manoj.